2004 Columbia Crest, Grand Estates, Columbia Valley, Merlot ($9.99 NH Liq Store). Alcohol level: 13.5%. Picked this up recently after have read a couple of very positive reviews on it. We both enjoyed it very much. Having said that, one wonders when buying from the â€œbig guysâ€ if the wine was made or manufactured. There is so much technical stuff they can do these days; where did that very purple color come from, etc.

Anyhow, it gave a strong fruity aroma to the nose, with lush red and black fruit on the tongue tip. In the middle the proverbial plums along a nice complexity of additional fruit, restrained oak and smooth tannin pleased the palate. The finish lingered. It was not soft at all, something we had expected to some degree, and were delighted to find the wine full bodied and robust.

Matched it with boneless sirloin steak charcoal grilled with hickory chips, Italian bread baked with roasted garlic from a great local bakery, and Italian green beans.